1. 1st and 2nd Generation
1972 – 1984
Odessey 100 - Pong
Atari 2600 – Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers
3rd Generation
1985 - 1986
`Video Game Crash’
Low quality, played on home computers mostly, people had lost faith in consoles to
some extent, it was the first console of the `modern era’
Nintendo Famicom – first ‘role play’ game. – Dragon Quest, Super Mario Bros. Final
Fantasy
4th Generation
1987 – 1996
Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo
Mortal Kombat, Sonic The Hedgehog
5th Generation
1993 – 2000
PlayStation 1, Gameboy Colour, SEGA Saturn, Nintendo 64
Gran Tourismo, Goldeneye, Legend Of Zelda
6th Generation
Xbox, Dreamcast, GameCube, PlayStation 2
Alternative controllers e.g. Guitar Hero, Car Wheels, Dance Mat
Limited complexity, shortened sequences e.g. SIMS
PlayStation – More complex, adult orientated
GTA 3, Halo, Resident Evil 4
7th Generation
2004 – Present
Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
The Wii was designed because people were pointing the finger at fast food and video
games for rising obesity in children. So they used motion sensors and other
technology to combat this.
Handheld Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, PSP Go
Wii Sports, Metal Gear Solid 4, Halo 3, GTA 4, Bioshock, FIFA, Call Of Duty